Wonderland Wars
by Seo Hyunee
Summary: The devastating Heart War ravaged the lands of Heart, Clover, and Joker Country. After many years of fighting, the war finally came to a close. But the chaos ensuing afterwards still remained. In the quiet, but sacred town of Clockwork, the townsfolk protecting the ancient scriptures and shrine of the clocks are in danger. Role holders are needed, but only Alice can find them...


The devastating Heart War ravaged the lands of Heart, Clover, and Joker Country. After one hundred long years of fighting, the war finally came to a close. But the chaos ensuing afterwards still remained in these three countries. In the quiet, but sacred town of Clockwork, the townsfolk protecting the ancient scriptures and shrine of the clocks are in danger. Bandits have been terrorizing the town and have forced them to pay tribute, either in money or crops. The elders of Clockwork have decided that they should fight back. But the question is: How? So one of the townspeople, Gowland decides to search for role holders who are willing to help them. Along with Gowland, the shrine priestess, Alice has embarked on this journey to find the role holders…

* * *

Chapter One: The Beginning

It's been about two years since the Heart War ended. This war, this devastating event that ravaged the lands of all three countries of Heart, Clover, and Joker for one hundred years, may have ended, but its post-war effects have put a strain on the many small towns of these countries. The peoples of Heart, Clover, and Joker have suffered a lot during the war, but even worse when the bandits, or known as the outlanders, terrorized them and forced them to pay tribute. Although the capital, located in the center of Joker Country, has been providing a lot of commerce to major cities and a few of the small towns, they have done little to protect the small towns or to stop the outlanders.

* * *

In the small, yet sacred town of Clockwork, located in the Heart Country, lives a small population of about eight hundred townspeople. Although the town is small in size, compared the growing cities in the far west, they hold the "truth" to the war. They are the protectors of the ancient scriptures and shrine of the clock. The eight elders and the priestess have continued the same practices of protecting the shrine and scriptures for many years.

Now, a ripple in time, caused by the Heart War, has put this town in danger. Outlanders have come once a year, ever since the Heart War began, to collect tribute from Clockwork. They have stolen their crops and wealth, making Clockwork one of the poorest towns in Heart Country. If they didn't pay tribute, the Outlanders would burn the entire town down, along with the sacred scriptures and shrine.

But after over a hundred years of paying tribute, Clockwork wanted change… and they were willing to fight to the death to protect what was theirs…

* * *

"Town meeting! Town meeting! It's going to start as soon as the sun hits noon!" cried a man. He ran throughout the small town, notifying people about the meeting.

Small crowds of people began to file into the Clockwork building and as soon as everyone settled in, the eight elders came out.

"We have called everyone today to address the serious issue of the outlanders," said one elder. His name was Nightmare Gottschalk. Although he looked very young in the face, his hair showed his years and how much wisdom he gained over time.

Everyone in the hall murmured. "We have protected the secrets of the clocks, especially during the Heart War," continued Nightmare. He paused for a moment to cough up blood and he wiped his mouth.

"Now is the time to make our move."

"Move? What do you mean?" shouted one man.

"Our move to protect our town and the shrine!" answered Nightmare.

"But… we couldn't even protect our own people," said one woman. She hugged her child and was close to tears. Although the outlanders collected the crops and wealth, they occasionally took people as well.

The hall was in an uproar before a man with reddish hair and glasses spoke up. "We can get role holders," said Gowland. He stood up and approached the elders.

"I've heard about other towns, larger than us though, hiring role holders."

"Role holders you say?" said Nightmare.

"Yes, role holders. I know we are not the wealthiest town in Heart Country, but we can offer our crops and our best clocks," said Gowland.

"Who would be willing to protect us with that kind of offer?" cried one man. He looked furious and everyone started arguing.

"Who'll even find these role holders? Didn't they leave after the war?" shouted a townsfolk. "Half of them probably turned into outlanders! How can we trust them?!"

"There are still trustworthy people!" shouted the priestess. Everyone turned silent and listened closely. "I can feel it… I think Gowland may be right, finding role holders may be the only way to protect our town," said the priestess.

"Alice…" Gowland walked up to her. Alice, Clockwork's priestess, stood up. She wore a navy blue dress laced with gold with a ribbon accenting the front of her dress. She held up her talisman, a golden clock, up in front of Nightmare.

"I can feel it Nightmare, now is the time to prepare," said Alice. The clock glowed a soft yellow and everyone in the hall looked with awe.

Nightmare bowed his head and looked at the two with his one eye. "I trust that the two of you can find us four role holders to protect our town."

"Four role holders?"

"Yes Gowland, four worthy role holders to protect our town will be sufficient," said Nightmare.

"As you wish," said Alice and Gowland. The two of them bowed to Nightmare and started to prepare their long journey to find the role holders and to save their town. Little did they know it would lead to so much more…

* * *

The bustling city of clover was the center of economic prosperity among the three countries of Heart, Clover, and Joker. The city was divided into two sections, the lower and upper halves. People of all walks of life came to the city either because they were refugees from the war or they were looking for a new start. Somewhere along the border edge of the lower and upper halves, a young man with pink hair was walking.

He brushed his hair to the side slightly and looked around.

_Nothing much to do… _

He wandered around and spotted a criminal looking role holder. "What's he up to?" He followed that role holder and found that role holder aiming for a couple of small townsfolk.

* * *

It's been already two days since Gowland and Alice left Clockwork.

"Wow! The city is a lot different than the small towns," said Alice. She looked around with excitement. This was the first time she left Clockwork. Gowland smiled. He has traveled to Clover City a few times in his lifetime, but never really got to explore it like this.

"Just be careful Alice. Remember, we still need to find role holders," said Gowland. On his back, he carried sacks of various crops, from grains of rice to corn, and seven of their best clocks made.

"Don't worry Gowland, I'll be careful," said Alice. She stuck close to Gowland as they made their way through the crowds.

"So where do we start?" asked Gowland. They've been wandering near the lower half of the city for almost an hour.

Alice held up the clock talisman and it began to swing like a pendulum. "Let me see…"

As Alice held out her talisman, Gowland fell over. "Give me your food!" It seems like a former role holder, now a criminal and thief, got a hold of Gowland's bundle.

"Hey! Get back here!" Gowland began to chase after the man.

"Gowland!" Alice followed after Gowland.

The thief pushed through the crowds and was panting. "Role holders like you are despicable," said the man with pinkish hair. He jumped from a building and used his gun to shoot at the thief's foot.

"Arghhh!" The thief cried out in pain before dropping the bundle. He ran away into the alleys. The man with pinkish hair scoffed and picked up the bundle. "Is this yours?" He handed it over to Gowland.

"Thank you so much!" Gowland took the bundle and shook the young man's hand.

"Gowland! Are you alright?" Alice finally caught up with Gowland. "I'm alright, but this man," Gowland pointed to him. "helped us out! Thank you very much….umm…"

"Boris… Boris Airay."

Gowland noticed that Boris could whip out guns out of thin air. "Hey are you a role holder?"

"I… I am," said Boris hesitantly.

Alice pulled up her clock talisman to Boris, but it didn't glow at all. "Well, thank you very much Boris for helping us out, but we must get going."

Alice looked at Gowland and she started walking away.

"Ah, thanks again!" Gowland smiled and went after Alice.

Boris looked at the two strangely. _It seems like they wanted something…._

"Why didn't you ask him?" asked Gowland.

Alice frowned and turned towards him.

"He is a role holder… But he hasn't experienced the battlefield at all."

"Huh?"

"We need role holders who have fought in the Heart War," said Alice. And with that, she walked further ahead.

* * *

**This fanfic is loosely based on an anime called Samurai 7 :) I just had this story forming in my head with a similar plot using HnKnA characters! Well, here's the release of my newest fanfic! Also, 99 Days with You will be put on hiatus (sorry!) And Forbidden Kiss unfortunately will not update until Friday (not April 7th, sorry again!) *bows* Stay tuned for the next chapter...**

**Thanks for reading and please review! :D**

**~Seo Hyunee**


End file.
